


Call and I Will Answer

by returnoftheborle



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, it's all fairly fluffy until the last part, this includes infinity war spoilers so if you haven't seen the movie yet you read at your own risk!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-29 10:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14470254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/returnoftheborle/pseuds/returnoftheborle
Summary: A lot of people assume that Bucky is always the one supporting Steve, that Bucky is the one giving Steve a shoulder to lean on and not the other way around. And for the most part, that’s true. That fact of the matter is that Steve is just too small and weak to help Bucky with a lot of things, like whooping Johnny Novitzki and his crew in a game of ball.





	Call and I Will Answer

**Author's Note:**

> Alternatively: 5 Times Bucky asked Steve for help and 1 time Steve couldn't do anything

~1~

A lot of people assume that Bucky is always the one supporting Steve, that Bucky is the one giving Steve a shoulder to lean on and not the other way around. And for the most part, that’s true. That fact of the matter is that Steve is just too small and weak to help Bucky with a lot of things, like whooping Johnny Novitzki and his crew in a game of ball.

The thing about Steve, though, is that for all that his body is weak, is mind is fantastic. He’s smarter than most people give him credit for, simply because most people see how small he is and assume he’s young. He’s not though. He’s eleven years old and he’s the best in their class doing math (a fact that his mother is very proud of) and he’s good at writing and he’s good at reading.

Bucky, on the other hand, is _not_ good at math, even though he looks older than he really is. The thing about Bucky is, he likes to pretend he’s good at things even when he’s not. which leads them to where they are now, sitting side by side on the fire escape at Bucky’s place, as the older boy struggles with his homework and the younger sketches.

Bucky pushes the worm, second hand book aside with a groan. Steve just watches calmly, knowing that there’s a process to Bucky asking for help. If you try and offer it, he just closes off, the stubborn jackass, and then nothing gets done about his problem. So Steve waits patiently, knowing very well what will soon be coming.

Finally Bucky sighs and says, “Steve?”

Immediately Steve’s attention leaves his sketch, his gaze snapping to his friend. “Yeah, Buck?”

“Can you help me with these math problems?”

Steve smiles, that special smile that he only gives to Bucky, and scoots closer as his friend grabs his math book. “Course I will, Bucky,” Steve says. “I’ll always help you.”

~2~

As the years passed and Bucky becomes less concerned with math and more concerned with pretty dames, he stops asking for help as often. Not that he asked for it a lot before, but now he almost never does.

This is why it comes as a surprise to Steve when, one day in the summer as they lounge on his bed, praying for a breeze to come through the open window, Bucky says his name softly, using the same tone he always did when he needed something. “What is it, Buck?” he asks.

“Do y’know how to kiss people, Stevie?”

He feels the heat rise in his cheeks and turns away from his friend to hide it. “No. You know I’ve never had a girl look twice at me. Why’re you asking me that, anyways? Figure you should know how to kiss by now, seeing as you’ve had so many dates.”

“Nope,” is Bucky’s reply. “Never kissed any of ‘em.”

“Why not?”

He feels Bucky shrugged beside him. “Didn’t wanna fuck it up, I guess.”

“You’re gonna fuck it up, no matter what,” Steve retorts. “Unless you can find someone to practice with or something.”

“Actually, I was hoping you would.” 

Steve shoots up in the middle of his bed. “What?”

Bucky shrugs. “Who else do I know that won’t sugarcoat the truth to make me feel better?”

“Buck, we’re both male. If we get caught -”

“We won’t get caught,” he insists firmly. “It's not like we’re gonna start necking in the middle of the street or something.”

“I don’t know, Buck…"

“Please, Stevie?” He turns imploring eyes on his friend. “I’ve got a date with Cindy Atkins this Saturday and I don’t wanna scare her off.”

And Steve sighs, and agrees because in the end he is so weak for Bucky, and the older boy knows that.

~3~

Time passes, as it does, and Steve and Bucky end up moving in together due to a combination of Steve’s Ma dying and Bucky’s family needing one less mouth to feed. Living on their own is hard, but they get used to it, get used to scrounging every penny for rent, get used to going hungry some days because they can’t afford food, get used to huddling together on one mattress when winter comes and the thin walls of their apartment don’t keep out the cold.

It’s one of those nights; Bucky is curled around Steve’s back, their two warmest blankets laying on top of them as they both try and ignore the fact that they’re shivering. Suddenly Steve hears a quiet, “Steve?”

“Yeah, Buck?”

“Can you help me warm up?”

“There’s a reason we’re both huddled on one mattress, Buck. I’m doing my best to keep you warm, I promise.”

“No, I mean,” he shifts behind him, “I know a way we could get even warmer.”

“How?”

Wordlessly, Bucky reaches around and rubs his hand over Steve’s crotch. Steve yelps and tries to scoot away from the touch, but only succeeds in propelling himself backwards into Bucky and _holy shit there’s something hard pressed up against his ass._

“Bucky!” he exclaims. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Come on, Stevie. It’ll warm us up,” he replied as he slips his hand just barely under the waistline of Steve’s

“It’s illegal!”

Bucky rolls his eyes. “Is that your only problem with it? I’m freezing, Stevie. Help a pal out?”

And even as a thousand different words bubble up on Steve’s lips he’s knows the only one he’s going to say is yes.

~4~

Bucky is missing and Steve knows it’s very likely that he’s dead, but there’s no way he can leave without searching every goddamn inch of this factory hellhole. He’s running through the rooms, doing his best to leave no stone unturned, when he sees the man with the briefcase run away. He pauses, unsure if he should chase after the man or check the room he emerged from. Steve’s decision is made, however, when he hears it.

It’s faint, but there’s no doubt that Bucky is talking, muttering his serial number over and over again. He races after the faint trace of a voice until he finds his best friend strapped to an examination table.

He frantically unstraps his friend from the table, before taking a moment to look the other man over and make sure he doesn’t have any outwardly obvious injuries. As he does so, Bucky smiles. “Steve?” He asks weakly, his tone a mix of disbelief and desperation.

In that moment, Steve swears he will burn Hydra to the fucking ground. Bucky is all he has — now that he’s muscles enough to fight back he’s never going to let anyone touch Bucky again. But he doesn’t voice any of this, just helps Bucky up from the table and rejoices in the fact that they get even one more minute together. But all too soon he’s knows it’s time to run. “Come on,” he says, and pulls Bucky towards the door. The time for relief can wait. For now, they need to get out of here.

~5~

It’s many years later, after ice and and Hydra and everything in between. Steve is hiding out in a motel in France when he gets the call.

“Captain.” T’Challa’s voice rings through his phone. “He is awake.”

Within an hour Steve is on a plane to Wakanda. When he gets there he’s immediately escorted through the halls by a stern looking woman with a spear. At one point he awkwardly attempts to make conversation, but is quickly shut down when she just shoots him an unamused look in response. Finally they reach their destination and she ushers him inside, shutting the door behind him.

He’s standing in a suite, spacious and open, with a beautiful window view of Wakanda. The living area is empty, as is the kitchen that Steve can see through a connecting door. “Hello?” he calls softly.

A door opens and Bucky steps out, a towel in his hands as he dries his hair. He looks up and smiles. “Steve.”

Steve smiles back and then the two of them are rushing forward for a hug that’s far overdo. “I missed you,” Steve whispers into Bucky’s shoulders.

“Miss you too, pal,” he replies and Steve’s herts clenches because he never thought he’d get to hear that again.

Later they’re sitting across from each other on the couch and Bucky reaches out to hold Steve’s hand. “How long are you staying?” he asks. “I just figure I’m going to need some help filling in the gaps in my memory.”

“I’ll stay as long as you want me to,” Steve replies earnestly. “I’m with you -”

“To the end of the line,” Bucky finishes, grinning. He leans over and kisses Steve gently. “It’s gonna be a long line, though.”

Steve smiles softly “Good,” he says, and kisses Bucky back.

~6~ 

The battle is raging around them. Thanos is there and he has the gauntlet and none of them really stand a chance but they’re trying anyway. Then Vision is dead and with a snap of his fingers Thanos disappears.

Steve stands up and looks around at the aftermath. They lost. They lost, and now half the universe will die. Then he hears it.

“Steve?” It’s pleading, desperate, and there’s only one person who would say his name like that. He turns around as Bucky staggers towards him as his whole body disintegrates. He opens his mouth to say something right before his face turns to dust. 

Steve feels numb as he lightly touches the ground where Bucky’s ashes lie. Bucky called to him for help and he couldn’t do anything. He’s lost Bucky again, after finally thinking they were free and safe. In that moment, Steve Rogers only knows one thing: wherever he is, Thanos is as good as dead.

**Author's Note:**

> I saw Infinity War three nights ago and I'm still so shook, what the fuck


End file.
